- Walter Penhaligon Perfumer:
Walter Penhaligon, hailing from the esteemed Penhaligon's perfume house, played a pivotal role in its rich history. Penhaligon's, founded in the late 1860s by William Henry Penhaligon, a Cornish barber who became court barber and perfumer to Queen Victoria, has long been a paragon of British perfumery.
In 1902, Walter Penhaligon, the second - generation figure of the brand, was commissioned to create a fragrance for the 9th Duke of Marlborough. The result was the iconic Blenheim Bouquet. This scent deviated from the prevalent floral trends of its time. It enchanted the senses with a vibrant blend of zesty citrus, warm spices, and earthy woods, and it soon became a symbol of the Edwardian era. Blenheim Bouquet not only showcased Walter's prowess in perfumery but also set a new standard for masculine scents within the brand. His creation was a harmonious marriage of ingredients, carefully selected and artfully combined to produce a long - lasting and memorable fragrance.
Under Walter Penhaligon's influence, Penhaligon's continued to grow and evolve. The brand, which had started as a barbershop offering its first fragrance, Hammam Bouquet in 1872, expanded its product range. It began to offer a line of bath and body care products, as well as luxury shaving and grooming accessories, all complementing its core fragrance offerings. Walter's work helped to maintain the brand's reputation for using fine, traditional perfume ingredients and techniques, which was further enhanced by the brand's two Royal Warrants, one from the Duke of Edinburgh in 1956 and another from the Princess of Wales in 1988.
Even today, Penhaligon's remains committed to the legacy Walter Penhaligon helped build. The brand's bottles still bear resemblance to William Penhaligon's original design—clear glass adorned with a ribbon. And many of the original scents, some of which were modernized under Walter's tenure, are still part of the brand's "anthology collection," standing as a testament to the family's and the brand's enduring influence in the world of perfumery.
